News and Stories

Our Center for Community Health Refugee and Immigrant Health Unit (RIH) recently joined state and local leaders at the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems and Safety Net Institute Annual Conference in San Diego.  The conference brought together more than one hundred attendees, including public hospital administrators, clinicians, policy partners, and community advocates.

The conference highlighted the essential role of California’s public health care systems. Serving more than 3.7 million patients each year, these systems provide a significant share of Medi-Cal and uninsured hospital care statewide. Their commitment to improving access to health and health outcomes for communities facing financial hardship, homelessness, or complex social and medical needs makes public health care systems indispensable anchors in the state’s health infrastructure.

Our team participated in the panel, California's Anchors: State and Local Strategies to Protect Immigrant Health and Safety Net Programs, alongside leaders from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), St. John’s Community Health, and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Together, we discussed the current policy landscape, the impacts of immigration enforcement on access to care, and the importance of cross-sector partnerships. 

St. John’s Community Health shared lessons from its home health visit program, launched in response to widespread appointment cancellations linked to concerns about immigration enforcement. CDSS described statewide strategies to support immigrant families’ access to essential services, including legal services, outreach, and regional hubs that support promotoras.

During the fireside chat, we discussed how the RIH team strengthens trust with immigrant and refugee communities through community-led approaches. We spoke about our partnership with ethnic-based community organizations, where we provide technical assistance, training, and tools that support community-driven health solutions. We also described our work with the San Diego Refugee Communities Coalition, where we help build community-led data systems and health data disaggregation efforts to identify and address barriers to care.

We also contributed insights on practical ways health leaders can build and preserve trust, such as prioritizing transparency, supporting community messengers, and adopting healing-centered and trauma-informed practices. We emphasized that trust grows when communities see themselves reflected in decision-making and service design.

Our team will continue collaborating with partners across California to strengthen community-led health systems and expand access to care for immigrant and refugee families. To learn more about our work or explore partnership opportunities, please contact our Refugee and Immigrant Health Unit at refugeehealthunit@health.ucsd.edu.